The Rashīdī History 106.7

106.7

Shahi Beg Khan behaved with magnanimity, and having taken possession of Tashkand, dismissed the Khans with every mark of favour, saying: "With your help and assistance I have won my power: I took you captive, but do not kill you: I let you go." In this place, I call to mind the story of the tax-gatherer [amaldar]. A certain governor had imposed a fine upon a tax-gatherer, and went so far as to torture him [in order to make him pay it]. But a generous Khwaja took pity on him, and bought him out of the hands of his creditors [by paying] the price of the fine, and taking him home with him, showed him every kindness and attention. One day the tax-collector was sitting with his son, and they were talking confidentially, while the Khwaja was listening on the other side of the wall. The son said to his father: "How can we ever worthily repay the Khwaja for his kindness?" The tax-collector answered: "As soon as I am again in office, the matter will be simple." The son then asked: "How will it be easy to repay his generosity?" His father replied: "When they have again entrusted me with an office, I will press the Khwaja very hard, and will give him over to the creditors, who will fine him heavily, and when it has come to a matter of life and death for him, I will take all his money, and with a part of it will buy him off again."